2008 Elections Were Free And Fair, There Is No Evidence Of Violence Says President Mnangagwa
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has described the 2008 harmonised elections as being free and fair. The president dismissed reports that the elections were marred by political violence saying that there is zero evidence of violence. According to Mnangagwa, no reports were made to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) about violence showing that there was none. In an interview, with the Economist, Mnangagwa said:
It was fair, very fair. Where is the evidence for violence? Not a single case was taken to the police.
However, according to political commentators and civic society organisations an estimated 270 people lost their lives in the 27 June Presidential run-off election, after Morgan Tsvangirai had defeated the incumbent Robert Mugabe in the first round, despite the fact that results were delayed by 6 weeks. In the end, Tsvangirai withdrew from the run-off election citing egregious violence against his supporters. Part of his letter of withdrawal reads:
It is common cause that the Zimbabwe National Army through its senior officers has actively campaigned for ZANU PF and continues to do so. This has been the position with the Zimbabwe Republic Police where senior officials have publicly campaigned for ZANUPF. As if this was not enough, the senior officers of the uniformed forces have forced junior officers to vote for President Mugabe.
Human Rights Watch also reported,
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The violence is being orchestrated by the Joint Operations Command, which is headed by senior ZANU-PF officials and includes the heads of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, police, prison services, and the Central Intelligence Organization. In some areas, local police are attempting to enforce the rule of law, but they are being undermined by their own superior officers.
Since his inauguration in November last year, Mnangagwa has been constantly calling for a free, fair and credible poll in the forthcoming harmonised elections. However, the opposition has accused Mnangagwa of lacking sincerity saying that he was only paying lip service to the call for free and fair elections without doing anything tangible to ensure that the polls will be indeed free and fair. Critics point to the lack of meaningful reforms in the political field.
Opposition parties have also accused the president of militarising state organs and deploying at least 2000 soldiers in civilian clothes to campaign for Zanu-PF. Mnanagwa and Zanu-PF have denied the allegations
More: Economist
